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CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING STUDENTS' EVALUATION OF THE ESP PROGRAMME AT VINH UNIVERSITY
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. RATIONALE
The status of English has turned a significant percentage of the world’s population. In addition to General English, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has been gaining an increasing importance and it has grown to become one of the most prominent areas of the Teaching of English as Foreign or Second Language (TEFL/TESL). Ewer (1976: 247) believes that “the teaching of English for scientific, technological and technical purposes is of comparatively recent growth as specialized activity, but it is now emerging as one of the most rapidly expanding and important branches of TEFL/TESL today”.
To meet the demand of the learners, many ESP programmes have been designed. Together with the worldwide trend to learn ESP, the teaching staff of Foreign Languages Department at Vinh University collected documents and designed some ESP programmes for some specific fields, including the ESP programme for Construction which was first taught for K.46 Construction Engineering students at Vinh University.
Besides an effort to offer the learners with the ESP programme according to their specific needs, it is necessary to implement an evaluation. Furthermore, the fact is that the ESP programme for Construction designed by the teaching staff of Foreign Languages at Vinh University was first taught for K.46 Construction Engineering students at Vinh University and it received some learners’ evaluative comments while it was in the progress.
Therefore, it is necessary to have an evaluation on the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University carried out by the learners themselves as Wallace (1991: 163)‘s thought “One source of evaluation will obviously be the trainees themselves”.
2. AIMS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is aimed at researching Construction Engineering students’ evaluation on the ESP programme at Vinh University in terms of audience, aims, time allocation, contents and methodology in order to determine whether the ESP programme for Construction is suitable to the learners’ abilities and needs.
Significantly, the process of this ESP programme evaluation can be seen as a way of developing our understanding of the ways in which it works and, in doing so, of contributing to both acquisition theory and pedagogic practices. Hence, the teachers would find ways to do interesting things in their teaching ESP in order to realize all the potentials embedded in the programme.
It is hoped that the findings of this study and some suggestions would contribute in improving the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to make it more suitable for the learners’ needs and abilities in the coming years.
3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The study aims to find out the answers to the following questions:
1) What are the learners’ evaluative comments on the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University?
2) What are the learners’ needs for learning ESP at Vinh University?
3) How should the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University be improved to make it more suitable to the learners’ abilities and needs?
4. METHOD OF THE STUDY
This minor thesis uses a number of books concerning ESP and evaluation. The research method used is the survey. The data collection instrument is questionnaire. The practical data from K46 Construction Engineering students at Vinh University forms basis for this study.
5. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
Within its scope, this research mainly focuses on the learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme at Vinh University such as: the time allocation, the topics of the ESP reading texts, the length of the ESP reading texts, the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text, the level of difficulty in grammar, the usefulness of exercises, the most difficult type of exercises, the satisfaction towards practice through exercises, the achievements after finishing the programme, and the satisfaction towards needs after finishing the programme.
Basing on the findings and the learners’ needs, it provides some suggestions to improve the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University.
Its major object is K46 Construction Engineering students of Technology Department at Vinh University.
6. DESIGN OF THE STUDY
The minor thesis is composed of three main parts: introduction, development and conclusion.
The introduction presents the rationale, aims and significance, research questions, method of the study, scope of the study, as well as design of the study.
The development consists of three chapters:
- Chapter I, “Literature Review”, provides the relevant theories: an overview of ESP (definition of ESP, classification of ESP and the development of ESP), evaluation (terminology definition, types of programme evaluation, purposes for evaluation, criteria for evaluation and central questions in programme evaluation design) and learner-centeredness in ESP.
- Chapter II, “An overview of English for Construction at Vinh University”, presents background information about English for Construction at Vinh University, including in the teaching and learning situation, a description of current ESP programme for Construction and the learners at Vinh University.
- Chapter III, “The study”, describes the methodology employed to collect data for this thesis at first (participants, data collection instrument and procedure). Then it reports on the learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University and their needs, and shows the major findings. Finally, it provides some suggestions to improve the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University.
The conclusion presents what have been found out from the study and the limitations and suggestions for further study.
PART II: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter aims to provide a theoretical base to develop an operational framework for programme evaluation. The first part presents an overview of ESP with regards to definition, the classification and the development of the ESP. The second part discusses about evaluation, concerning in terminology definition, types of programme evaluation, purposes for evaluation, criteria for evaluation and central questions in programme evaluation design. The third part relates to the learner-centeredness in ESP.
1.1. AN OVERVIEW OF ESP
1.1.1. Definition of ESP
ESP has been defined by different researchers as well as scholars’ different views.
According to Hutchinson and Waters (1987: 19), ESP must be seen as an approach, not as a product. In their opinion, ESP is not a particular kind of language or methodology, nor does it consist of a particular type of teaching material.
However, Strevens (1988) defines ESP by making a distinction between four absolute characteristics and two variable characteristics:
- The absolute characteristics are that ESP consists of ELT (English Language
Teaching) which is:
• designed to meet specified needs of the learners;
• related in content (that is in its themes and topics) to particular disciplines,
occupations and activities;
• centred on language appropriate to those activities in syntax, lexis,
discourse, semantics and so on, and analysis of the discourse;
• in contrast with ‘General English’.
- The variable characteristics are that ESP
• may be restricted as to the learning skills to be learned (for example
reading only);
• may not be taught according to any pre-ordained methodology.
(Source: Strevens, 1988; cited in Dudley-Evans and St John, 1998: 3)
Robinson (1991) ‘s definition (cited in Dudley-Evans and St John, 1998: 3) is based on two key defining criteria (i.e. ‘normally goal-directed’ and need analysis) and a number of characteristics (i.e. limited time period, adults in homogeneous classes) that are generally found to be true of ESP.
Dudley-Evans and St John (1998: 4-5) comment that above definitions have validity but also weaknesses, either in the definition or in the features described. They believe that a definition of ESP should reflect the fact that much ESP teaching, especially where it is specifically linked to a particular profession or discipline, makes use of a methodology that differs from that used in General Purpose English teaching. They also believe that language should be included as a defining feature of ESP.
In summary, all the above definitions show that ESP belongs to English Language Teaching (ELT). The ESP courses are performed successfully in occupational roles by an individual or a group whose need is considered to be a distinguished feature from General English.
3.3.6. Using the omitted contents as extra materials
As can be seen in table 3, the suggested organization consists of 8 ESP reading texts while the current ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University consists of 25 ESP reading texts. Therefore, the writer of this minor thesis suggests that the omitted ESP reading texts should be used as extra materials.
In summary, this chapter describes the methodology employed to collect data at first. Next to, from analyzing the collected data, it provides the data presentation of the learners’ evaluation on the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University and their needs. Based on the data analysis and discussion, major findings present. At last, it provides suggestions for the improvements the programme.
PART III: CONCLUSION
The importance of learning ESP is undeniable and evaluation of the ESP programme is very important in language learning. This study, therefore, has been carried out to have a better insight into the learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to determine whether that ESP programme is suitable with students’ abilities and needs so that changes need to be made to improve the programme.
In general, the findings have shown that most of the students were satisfied with the current ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University. The fact is that a majority of the students were goal-oriented learners. In other words, they had a clear goal of learning ESP. Because they might think that they would need ESP to access information about their future careers, most of them set expansion of technical vocabulary and translation of ESP texts as their goal of learning English. This ESP programme was evaluated to be suitable to audience, aims, methodology and to be both suitable and unsuitable to time allocation in the courses and contents. Therefore, if this ESP programme is used again in the future, there is a must for changes and supplementations which take into account suggestions in chapter 3 of part II. The learners would like to separate learning ESP from learning General English and the time allocation for only learning ESP should be much more. Besides, translation should be developed because this is the most difficult type of exercise evaluated by the learners and it is also the type of exercises which the learners need most to improve their studying.
Like other studies, this study has its own limitations due to the limited time and scope. A greatest limitation is that this study only used one instrument which is the questionnaire for data collection. More research on evaluation would be used more instruments.
It is hoped that the study will make a significant contribution for the improvements of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to make it more suitable for the learners’ needs and abilities in the coming years. Great as efforts have been, certain errors are in evitable. The researcher would appreciate the readers’ comments and tolerance for the shortcomings and deficiencies of the study.
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CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING STUDENTS' EVALUATION OF THE ESP PROGRAMME AT VINH UNIVERSITY
PART I: INTRODUCTION
1. RATIONALE
The status of English has turned a significant percentage of the world’s population. In addition to General English, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has been gaining an increasing importance and it has grown to become one of the most prominent areas of the Teaching of English as Foreign or Second Language (TEFL/TESL). Ewer (1976: 247) believes that “the teaching of English for scientific, technological and technical purposes is of comparatively recent growth as specialized activity, but it is now emerging as one of the most rapidly expanding and important branches of TEFL/TESL today”.
To meet the demand of the learners, many ESP programmes have been designed. Together with the worldwide trend to learn ESP, the teaching staff of Foreign Languages Department at Vinh University collected documents and designed some ESP programmes for some specific fields, including the ESP programme for Construction which was first taught for K.46 Construction Engineering students at Vinh University.
Besides an effort to offer the learners with the ESP programme according to their specific needs, it is necessary to implement an evaluation. Furthermore, the fact is that the ESP programme for Construction designed by the teaching staff of Foreign Languages at Vinh University was first taught for K.46 Construction Engineering students at Vinh University and it received some learners’ evaluative comments while it was in the progress.
Therefore, it is necessary to have an evaluation on the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University carried out by the learners themselves as Wallace (1991: 163)‘s thought “One source of evaluation will obviously be the trainees themselves”.
2. AIMS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is aimed at researching Construction Engineering students’ evaluation on the ESP programme at Vinh University in terms of audience, aims, time allocation, contents and methodology in order to determine whether the ESP programme for Construction is suitable to the learners’ abilities and needs.
Significantly, the process of this ESP programme evaluation can be seen as a way of developing our understanding of the ways in which it works and, in doing so, of contributing to both acquisition theory and pedagogic practices. Hence, the teachers would find ways to do interesting things in their teaching ESP in order to realize all the potentials embedded in the programme.
It is hoped that the findings of this study and some suggestions would contribute in improving the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to make it more suitable for the learners’ needs and abilities in the coming years.
3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The study aims to find out the answers to the following questions:
1) What are the learners’ evaluative comments on the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University?
2) What are the learners’ needs for learning ESP at Vinh University?
3) How should the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University be improved to make it more suitable to the learners’ abilities and needs?
4. METHOD OF THE STUDY
This minor thesis uses a number of books concerning ESP and evaluation. The research method used is the survey. The data collection instrument is questionnaire. The practical data from K46 Construction Engineering students at Vinh University forms basis for this study.
5. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
Within its scope, this research mainly focuses on the learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme at Vinh University such as: the time allocation, the topics of the ESP reading texts, the length of the ESP reading texts, the amount of technical vocabulary contained in each ESP reading text, the level of difficulty in grammar, the usefulness of exercises, the most difficult type of exercises, the satisfaction towards practice through exercises, the achievements after finishing the programme, and the satisfaction towards needs after finishing the programme.
Basing on the findings and the learners’ needs, it provides some suggestions to improve the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University.
Its major object is K46 Construction Engineering students of Technology Department at Vinh University.
6. DESIGN OF THE STUDY
The minor thesis is composed of three main parts: introduction, development and conclusion.
The introduction presents the rationale, aims and significance, research questions, method of the study, scope of the study, as well as design of the study.
The development consists of three chapters:
- Chapter I, “Literature Review”, provides the relevant theories: an overview of ESP (definition of ESP, classification of ESP and the development of ESP), evaluation (terminology definition, types of programme evaluation, purposes for evaluation, criteria for evaluation and central questions in programme evaluation design) and learner-centeredness in ESP.
- Chapter II, “An overview of English for Construction at Vinh University”, presents background information about English for Construction at Vinh University, including in the teaching and learning situation, a description of current ESP programme for Construction and the learners at Vinh University.
- Chapter III, “The study”, describes the methodology employed to collect data for this thesis at first (participants, data collection instrument and procedure). Then it reports on the learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University and their needs, and shows the major findings. Finally, it provides some suggestions to improve the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University.
The conclusion presents what have been found out from the study and the limitations and suggestions for further study.
PART II: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter aims to provide a theoretical base to develop an operational framework for programme evaluation. The first part presents an overview of ESP with regards to definition, the classification and the development of the ESP. The second part discusses about evaluation, concerning in terminology definition, types of programme evaluation, purposes for evaluation, criteria for evaluation and central questions in programme evaluation design. The third part relates to the learner-centeredness in ESP.
1.1. AN OVERVIEW OF ESP
1.1.1. Definition of ESP
ESP has been defined by different researchers as well as scholars’ different views.
According to Hutchinson and Waters (1987: 19), ESP must be seen as an approach, not as a product. In their opinion, ESP is not a particular kind of language or methodology, nor does it consist of a particular type of teaching material.
However, Strevens (1988) defines ESP by making a distinction between four absolute characteristics and two variable characteristics:
- The absolute characteristics are that ESP consists of ELT (English Language
Teaching) which is:
• designed to meet specified needs of the learners;
• related in content (that is in its themes and topics) to particular disciplines,
occupations and activities;
• centred on language appropriate to those activities in syntax, lexis,
discourse, semantics and so on, and analysis of the discourse;
• in contrast with ‘General English’.
- The variable characteristics are that ESP
• may be restricted as to the learning skills to be learned (for example
reading only);
• may not be taught according to any pre-ordained methodology.
(Source: Strevens, 1988; cited in Dudley-Evans and St John, 1998: 3)
Robinson (1991) ‘s definition (cited in Dudley-Evans and St John, 1998: 3) is based on two key defining criteria (i.e. ‘normally goal-directed’ and need analysis) and a number of characteristics (i.e. limited time period, adults in homogeneous classes) that are generally found to be true of ESP.
Dudley-Evans and St John (1998: 4-5) comment that above definitions have validity but also weaknesses, either in the definition or in the features described. They believe that a definition of ESP should reflect the fact that much ESP teaching, especially where it is specifically linked to a particular profession or discipline, makes use of a methodology that differs from that used in General Purpose English teaching. They also believe that language should be included as a defining feature of ESP.
In summary, all the above definitions show that ESP belongs to English Language Teaching (ELT). The ESP courses are performed successfully in occupational roles by an individual or a group whose need is considered to be a distinguished feature from General English.
3.3.6. Using the omitted contents as extra materials
As can be seen in table 3, the suggested organization consists of 8 ESP reading texts while the current ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University consists of 25 ESP reading texts. Therefore, the writer of this minor thesis suggests that the omitted ESP reading texts should be used as extra materials.
In summary, this chapter describes the methodology employed to collect data at first. Next to, from analyzing the collected data, it provides the data presentation of the learners’ evaluation on the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University and their needs. Based on the data analysis and discussion, major findings present. At last, it provides suggestions for the improvements the programme.
PART III: CONCLUSION
The importance of learning ESP is undeniable and evaluation of the ESP programme is very important in language learning. This study, therefore, has been carried out to have a better insight into the learners’ evaluation of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to determine whether that ESP programme is suitable with students’ abilities and needs so that changes need to be made to improve the programme.
In general, the findings have shown that most of the students were satisfied with the current ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University. The fact is that a majority of the students were goal-oriented learners. In other words, they had a clear goal of learning ESP. Because they might think that they would need ESP to access information about their future careers, most of them set expansion of technical vocabulary and translation of ESP texts as their goal of learning English. This ESP programme was evaluated to be suitable to audience, aims, methodology and to be both suitable and unsuitable to time allocation in the courses and contents. Therefore, if this ESP programme is used again in the future, there is a must for changes and supplementations which take into account suggestions in chapter 3 of part II. The learners would like to separate learning ESP from learning General English and the time allocation for only learning ESP should be much more. Besides, translation should be developed because this is the most difficult type of exercise evaluated by the learners and it is also the type of exercises which the learners need most to improve their studying.
Like other studies, this study has its own limitations due to the limited time and scope. A greatest limitation is that this study only used one instrument which is the questionnaire for data collection. More research on evaluation would be used more instruments.
It is hoped that the study will make a significant contribution for the improvements of the ESP programme for Construction at Vinh University to make it more suitable for the learners’ needs and abilities in the coming years. Great as efforts have been, certain errors are in evitable. The researcher would appreciate the readers’ comments and tolerance for the shortcomings and deficiencies of the study.
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